Reasonable expectations for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022 Week 7
By Brad Weiss
The Las Vegas Raiders take on the Houston Texans in Week 7, and here are some reasonable expectations for the Silver and Black.
The Las Vegas Raiders open the second half of their 2022 NFL season against the Houston Texans, who, like the Silver and Black, have won only one game this season. Both teams open up their post-bye week schedule looking to get their season back on track, and the Raiders have the advantage of being at home in this one.
Going into this matchup, the Raiders need to get a win to get their season back on track, as the schedule gets a little lighter here in the middle of the season. A win against Houston in convincing fashion would put the train back on the tracks, and give the team the confidence they need moving forward.
Here, we look at some reasonable expectations for the Raiders in this one.
Reasonable expectations for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022 Week 7
Continue to thrive on the ground
This season, the Raiders have gotten great production out of Josh Jacobs, as he looks to run toward a brand-new deal. The Raiders did not pick up his fifth-year option this offseason, and through the first five games of the season, he has been one of the best running backs in the NFL.
To date, Jacobs has rushed for nearly 500 yards in five games and has really carried the offense at times. Against Houston, Las Vegas needs to establish the run early, which will open up the passing lanes for quarterback Derek Carr.
Derek Carr two-plus touchdown passes
Derek Carr has started all five games for the Silver and Black this season, and he has done a nice job running this offense in his first season under Josh McDaniels. While his play has been sporadic at times, he is still getting comfortable in this offense, and he played his best game of the season against Kansas City on Monday night in Week 5.
Through the first five games of the season, Carr has tossed two touchdowns in four of them, a trend that will continue against Houston. I like him to connect with Davante Adams for at least one score, as this could be a game where he tosses three or more touchdowns in a blowout victory.
Win the game
This is a game that the Raiders should win, as they have more talent on both sides of the ball, and have played well, for the most part, all season long. Their problem has been putting bad teams away, and that is something that cannot happen against a Texans team that likes to hang around.
Las Vegas will have to string a bunch of wins together if they hope to get back into the AFC playoff picture, but as we have seen all season long, the AFC is wide open. The goal on Sunday is to play consistent football through four quarters, win a very winnable game at home, and kick off the post-bye week with a convincing victory over a lesser team.